Trail of Tragedy
The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
Table of Contents
Acknowledgment ...... 1 Introduction ...... 2 Summary of Casualties in Violence in Karachi, during July 2010 –August 2011 ...... 4 Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010-August 2011 ...... 5 July 2010 ...... 5 August 2010 ...... 6 September 2010 ...... 8 October 2010 ...... 9 November 2010 ...... 10 December 2010 ...... 11 January 2011 ...... 12 February 2011 ...... 14 March 2011 ...... 16 April 2011 ...... 19 May 2011 ...... 21 June 2011 ...... 24 July 2011 ...... 27 August 2011 ...... 32 Graph of Karachi Killings ...... 36
Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
Acknowledgment It is acknowledged that this chronology of violence has been compiled using the online archives of two major national newspapers: Dawn at www.dawn.com and The News at www.thenews.com.pk. SPO presents this chronology through the courtesy of these two media outlets. However, this data does not represent a hundred percent coverage of the violence or killings that have been reported. The incidents included in this chronology are target killings, bomb blasts, ambushes, violence, and suicide attacks. Casualties caused by accidents and other unknown reasons are not included. SPO does not take the responsibility either for the authenticity of contents of news stories included in this report, or for the treatment of the incidents of terrorism by the media. Most of the news items have been copied and summarized from the news stories published in the above mentioned newspapers.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
Introduction In the Grip of Bloodshed and Mayhem
Continuing bloodshed with increasing frequency and intensity, and unrest in Karachi has been a cause of alarm for every Pakistani for a long time. To focus attention on the pervasiveness of the loss of human life and mayhem in this city SPO has compiled a factual, day to day report on the killings in Karachi from July 2010 to the end of August 2011. The figures and details have been meticulously collected from the two newspapers, being published in English. This report presents to the reader not only incidents of violence but also the modus operandi of killing that throws some light on the complexity of the situation prevailing in this strife- ridden megapolis, which is also the commercial nerve centre of Pakistan. From our compiled data, the death toll in Karachi from January 2011 to the end of August 2011, that is, within the span of 8 months, stands at the mind boggling number of 587, giving Karachi the dubious distinction of being among the most violence prone city in the world. With the exception of a negligible number of deaths caused by road accidents, all these deaths have resulted from target killings or/and suicide bombings. The number of deaths by suicide bombings during the past eight months was 42, whereas in the month of July alone, the number of the victims of target killing was 189. These are extraordinarily appalling figures and must not be acceptable for any civilized society or government. According to analysis in the print media of the country, the spate of killings in Karachi falls into several categories: ethnic, sectarian, and terrorist/militants. It is also believed that various mafias and militant outfits operating in the city are involved in these heinous crimes, but the continuous spiking up of the spate of killings defies a simple answer that could unravel the ultimate source (or sources ) of the mayhem and bloodletting in Karachi. If the problem is basically or at least partly, political, then it is the prime responsibility of all stakeholders to find a solution to this problem that should be acceptable for all. The victims of violence in Karachi mostly belong to the poorest and most unprivileged sections of society. Rickshaw drivers, pushcart owners, laborers, carpet and hardware shop owners, cobblers, these are the people being killed and their political affiliations are a mere irrelevancy to the enormous tragedy. The sporadic and frequent closing down of the city in the wake of these incidences, give a very big jolt to the city‘s and the country‘s economy. Karachi makes a huge contribution to Pakistan‘s economy but the law and order situation in the city makes it impossible to sustain progress. SPO has been committed to sustainable development complimented with human rights. The Conference on Sustainable Development hosted by UNESCO states in categorical terms: ―Peace and security are fundamental to human dignity and development. The sustainable development of any culture is always endangered by insecurity and conflict. Human tragedies result in over-whelming health systems, the destruction of homes, schools and often whole communities, and increased numbers of displaced people and refugees. Education for sustainable development plays a key role in promoting values for peace.‖
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
We hope that the report on violence in Karachi under the Title, ―Trail of Tragedy‖ will serve as a tool of education and soul-searching for all readers and pave the way towards finding ways and means for lasting peace in Karachi. It is often opined that Karachi is the arena where contending sections of the population are fighting for getting a lion‘s share of the lucrative economic benefit that the city with its immense resources offers. But the ruthless struggle can easily result in the annihilation of the bird that lays the proverbial golden egg.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
Summary of Casualties in Violence in Karachi During July 2010 – August 2011
Suicide attacks/ Target Killings/ Month Bomb blasts/ Total Violence etc. Attacks etc.
July 2010 28 28
August 2010 97 97
September 2010 4 4
October 2010 78 78
November 2010 18 18
December 2010 3 3
January 2011 45 04 49
February 2011 14 14
March 2011 86 - 86
April 2011 13 19 32
May 2011 18 17 35
June 2011 34 - 34
July 2011 189 - 189
August 2011 150 2 152
Total 670 42 819
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
Chronology of Violence in Karachi July 2010-August 2011
JULY 2010 July 4, 2010 Two activists shot dead; Karachi target killings continued Two young activists — one associated with a ruling political party and the other with a religious group — were shot dead as the spree of targeted killings continued unabated 29 year old Abdul Aziz was worker of religious party Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat.
July 24, 2010 Karachi bus firing wounds seven Seven people, including a woman, were injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on a bus in Karachi`s Baldia Town area. Most of the injured were labourers on their way to work.
July 25, 2010 Karachi descends into new round of violence Violence erupted after unidentified armed men, attacked Unit-B office of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, in which the party activist Shafiq Kermani alias Rizwan Shah was killed and several others were injured. The ANP office in Lyari was also attacked. An unidentified man was also gunned down in Lyari while another person was killed in the New Karachi area. The city remained tense, as eight people, including four supporters of the Awami National Party (ANP) and a bus conductor, were gunned down in different parts of the city. Armed miscreants torched mini-buses in various areas in which several people sustained injuries.
July 26, 2010 Ten more killed as violence persists in Karachi. The violence after attack on a political party‘s office causes 18 deaths, a medical store and a minibus set ablaze in different parts of the city. While people stayed indoors and markets remained closed.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
AUGUST 2010 August 3, 2010 32 killed in Karachi after death of Raza Haider Karachi exploded in violent incidents after the death of Raza Haider in Nazimbad area, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA). At least 32 people were shot and 60 people were injured. In addition to the human toll of the violence, 30 vehicles, shops, a petrol pump, kiosks, and pushcarts were set ablaze.
August 4, 2010 Violence in Karachi causes 49 deaths
The violence ensuing from Raza Haider’s death continued on 4 August 2010 with 19 more deaths. The death toll from violence in Karachi rose to 49 as more people were killed. Officials confirmed 25 shops, 10 trucks and another 15 vehicles were set on fire throughout Karachi. As a result of the violence, Karachi came to a standstill with no public transport and businesses, shops, petrol pumps closed.
August 5, 2010 Violence in Karachi escalated; death toll reaches 75 Violence in Karachi continued to escalate after the death of Raza Haider for the third day in a row with the death toll reaching 75. 10 trucks, shops and homes were set on fire. A cracker thrown in Taimuria mosque in North Nazimbad caused 5 additional injuries.
August 17, 2010 DSP among three gunned down in Karachi A new wave of violence took lives of DSP Nawaz Ranjha, his driver Jehangir while patrolling. A doctor named Najum ul Hasan was also gunned down by unknown men in Orangi Town.
August 20, 2010 Violence leads to 16 deaths, 25 injured The violence led by assassination of a provincial leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and one of his comrades killed another 16 people and injuring 25 people from bullet wounds. Violence continued as MQM offices, traffic kiosks, and over 15 buses lit on fire.
August 22, 2010 Three killed in Karachi violence Violence broke out in Orangi Town and its neighboring areas after three persons were killed in separate armed attacks.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
August 29, 2010 Karachi: Son of Chiraguddin, PML-Q leader killed in attack Mirajuddin, the son of a PML-Q leader Chiraguddin was killed by armed men in the Railway Colony area of Dastagir, Block-15, Federal B Area.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
SEPTEMBER 2010 September 7, 2010 Violence erupted in Lines Area after killing of an activist in Karachi An office-bearer of the Ahl-i-Sunaat Wal Jamaat was shot dead by unknown assailants in the Lines Area, igniting violence in the area. Police said Chaudhry Ghayasuddin, 35, was head of the Lines Area unit of the ASWJ.
September 8, 2010 Another ASWJ activist shot dead An office-bearer of the Ahl-i-Sunaat Wal Jamaat was shot dead by armed men in Mehmoodabad. The area police said that Mushtaq Aziz alias Lala was the head of the Mehmoodabad-Manzoor Colony unit in the party`s organisational structure.
September 15, 2010 Two Muttahida men gunned down Two activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were shot dead in as many incidents of ―targeted killings‟ in the city. The latest incidents came as a grim reminder of frequent targeted killing of political workers, fuelling fears of more violence ahead of by-elections on a provincial assembly seat in Orangi that had fallen vacant after the assassination of MQM lawmaker Syed Raza Haider.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
OCTOBER 2010 October 17, 2010 19 killed in fresh Karachi violence Nineteen people were killed in incidents of violence in Karachi ahead of the PS-94 by-poll, as the ANP announced to boycott the election. At least three activists of the MQM and two workers belonging to the PPP were among those killed. In a late night incident, five people were killed in Rasheedabad near Noorani Masjid in Baldia Town. An angry mob torched the vehicle of a private television channel and tortured two journalists.
October 18, 2010 16 more killed in Karachi Sixteen more people, including an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and of the Awami National Party (ANP), were killed in targeted violence in Karachi. The death toll following violence on the second consecutive day reached to 34. During the recent spate of violence, several vehicles were torched and many parts of thecity were paralysed, especially the West Zone area which includes Kati Pahari. There were also reports about unknown gunmen disturbing the law and order situation in certain localities.
October 20, 2010
32 more killed in fresh Karachi violence Reeling from a series of target killings over the last two days, the Karachi city witnessed 32 more deaths in fresh incidents of killings. The most horrifying incident occurred, when seven to eight armed men on motorcycles entered the busy Kabari Market located in the Shershah area and opened fire on shops and passers-by, killing 15 people and injuring over 20 others.
October 21, 2010
11 killed on day of mourning As Karachi shut down in mourning for the victims of violence, at least 11 people lost their lives and target killings, coupled with scattered incidents of arson, let fear rule in the city for the second day. Armed men ruled streets in the eastern parts of the city and shot at helpless people at will. On the other hand the administration struggled to come up with a strategy to take on the terrorists.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
NOVEMBER 2010 November 12, 2010
CID office targeted in Karachi: 17 Killed At least 17 people, including police and Frontier Constabulary officials, were killed and almost 150 injured in a suicide truck bomb attack at the Criminal Investigation Department‘s (CID) Investigation Wing located in the Civil Lines area near the CM house. The CID is spearheading the drive against the Taliban militants in Karachi and has scored several successes in this regard. Sources said militants armed with guns and a Shehzore truck bomb entered the high security zone area of Civil Lines, where offices of Chief Minister Sindh, Criminal Investigation Department, five star hotels and the police residential quarters are located. The bombing completely demolished the building of the CID Police Department, which was used to interrogate and detain terror suspects.
November 25, 2010
Youth killed A young man was killed by unidentified men outside his house. The victim, 21-year-old Moosa, was coming out of his house in a car when he was intercepted by two armed men riding a motorcycle.
November 30, 2010
Nato container set on fire Four unknown miscreants set to fire container number TLG403 transporting good for Nato troops in Afghanistan at Manghu Pir Nothern Bypass.The driver, Walayat Khan reported that the container was being loaded with goods from Port Qasim, near Manghu Pir Nothern Bypass when the militants looted one lac rupees from him and lit the container.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
DECEMBER 2010 December 2, 2010
Clash claimed two lives Two teenage boys shot dead in result of armed clash between rival groups within a criminal gang in Orangi Town`s Faqeer Colony. The gun battle paralyzed life in the densely populated neighborhood for more than eight hours.
December 5, 2010
Firing on PIA plane Unknown miscreants opened fire on PIA plane but the pilot landed the plane safe and sound with all passengers on the Jinnah Terminal. The miscreants opened fire on the PK-335 flight of Multan-Karachi from the area of Model Colony when it was landing on the airport. While seeing the situation, the pilot became alert and by displaying his professional skill he saved the Boeing 737 from the firing and landed it at the airport safely.
December 10, 2010
Muttahida activist gunned down A young activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was gunned down near Dalmia.
Four students wounded in KU clash Four students were wounded in a clash between two groups at the arts faculty of the University of Karachi.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
JANUARY 2011 January 4, 2011 Targeted attacks and violence erupts in Karachi In the year‘s first targeted attacks, a senior worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and another of the Awami National Party were killed. Arson attacks on vehicles and incidents of firing occurred in different parts of the city after the incidents.
January 7, 2011 Three gunned down in city’s violence Two activists of political and religious groups and a common man were killed in incidents of targeted killing in Karachi. Irfan was associated with Shabab i Mili a youth wing of Jamat-e-Islami.
January 8, 2011 Former political activist gunned down in Karachi A former activist of a political party was gunned down in Karachi‘s Pir Ilahi Bux Colony. Asim Abbas Zaidi, was on his way to Latifabad when he was fired upon by unidentified assailants
January 9, 2011 Violence broke out after killing of political worker Violence broke out in parts of the city after a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was shot dead in Pir Ilahi Bux Colony. At least 12 people were injured and three buses torched in few hours.
January 12, 2011 Nine killed in violence Nine people were killed in different parts of Karachi within 24 hours. Six people were shot dead in the city‘s Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Bahadurabad, Kharadar, SITE, Bin Qasim and Buffer Zone areas. One body was recovered from the city‘s Mauripur area. Meanwhile, one injured person succumbed to his wounds at the Jinnah Hospital.
January 14, 2011 New wave of target killings Another wave of target killings hit Karachi in which seven people were killed in different parts of the city.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
The most serious incident occurred in Orangi Town when armed men attacked a bus of route 1-D near Qasba More, in which six people, including a seven-year-old girl Dua and a woman, were killed.
January 15, 2011 Pilot of the Chief Minister, Sindh among ten killed Eleven more people, including the pilot of the Chief Minister, Sindh and activists of MQM and ANP, were gunned down as target killings continued in the city on the third consecutive day.
Geo News reporter Wali Khan among 24 killed in three days At least 24 people, including a Geo News reporter Wali Khan Babar and activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, MQM-H, PPP and ANP, had been killed in three days of targeted violence that created fear among the citizens.
January 17, 2011 Two MQM men among five gunned down Five more people were gunned down in different parts of the city, bringing the death toll during last four days to 29. Those killed also included two workers of MQM.
January 20, 2011 A Chinese engineer shot dead A Chinese engineer was shot and wounded by unidentified men outside a bank in Karachi.
January 26, 2011 Four killed in bomb blast Four persons including three policemen were killed in a bomb blast near Kala Board in Malir. Four others were injured in an attack on a police van a few minutes after sunset.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
FEBRUARY 2011 February 4, 2011 Clue less murder A young man was shot dead in the Bohra Pir area just two weeks before he was to leave for the UAE to join his new job. The victim had come to meet his former colleagues. Hamid-ur-Rahman, in his mid-20s, was a resident of an apartment on M.A. Jinnah Road.
Man found shot dead A 32-year-old man released from the central prison was found shot dead in the Malir River. A police official told that area children spotted the body.
Teenager killed 19-year-old Nadim released on bail in a robbery case was shot dead allegedly by his accomplice over a dispute in Qazzafi town, police officials said. They added victim met his alleged aide, Sultan Shah, at a roadside teashop and had an altercation.
February 10, 2011 Greek national hammered to death A Greek national in a hotel near Karachi airport was hammered to death, police officials said. The investigators, who were earlier unsure about the cause of death, declared the death of Prainpafyfos Imirids as a murder.
February 13, 2011 Bus set on fire after meeting the accident that killed three After the accidental death of three friends by a fast-moving route 2-D bus on Shahrah-i- Liaquat area people, particularly youths became enraged and set the bus on fire.
Body found The body of a young man was found near a mosque of Jamshed Quarters.
February 18, 2011 Blasts hit railway track in Karachi; one injured One person was injured in two explosions on a railway track in Karachi. The explosions caused minor damages to the track. Any individual or organization did not claim the responsibility for the blasts.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
February 19, 2011 Violence gripped after targeted killing A leader of the Sunni Tehrik (ST) Allama Adnan Qadri was killed in an incident of targeted killing in New Karachi area, near his house. Soon after, violence gripped the locality of New Karachi. During the spate of violence, SHO, New Karachi Industrial Area (NKIA), got injured. Police said that the deceased was the Pesh Imam of area Masjid and also a senior leader of the ST.
February 24, 2011 New wave of targeted killings, three gunned down In what appeared to be a renewed wave of targeted killings, two activists of the Sunni Tehrik and a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were gunned down in different parts of the city. Following the incident, tension gripped the old city areas where armed men forced closure of shops and other commercial activities in the Timber Market, Pan Mandi and surrounding areas by firing into the air..
Body found A teenager was found dead in mysterious circumstances within the remit of the Mehmoodabad police station Police identified the victim as 17-year-old Jabbar, son of a rickshaw driver.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
MARCH 2011 March 1, 2011 Kidnapped boy found shot dead A teenage boy kidnapped for ransom found shot dead in Malir‘s Memon Goth. A maternal cousin of the victim and his two aides were arrested and booked for the offences.
March 2, 2011 Explosives handler dies A suspected explosives handler died when the substance he was carrying went off, near the National Highway. Police said that a bomb exploded when a man was trying to plant the device. Initially it was termed as a suicide attack but later confirmed that a bomb had exploded at the site as a crater of about two feet was visible.
March 11, 2011
PPP strike call, several vehicles torched in the city; schools, colleges closed On the eve of the strike call given by the Pakistan People‘s Party across the Sindh province, some unidentified armed men took to the streets in various parts of the city and torched at least two vehicles. All private and government schools were closed by the provincial government. Some people also forced businesses and shops in various localities to shut down, causing panic among the people of the area. In different parts of the city, especially Garden, Tower, Clifton, Safoora Chowk, Malir and Quaidabad, unidentified armed people resorted to aerial firing. Public transport was forced off important roads of the city.
Ex-PPP councilor among four killed in Karachi Four people, including a former PPP councilor, were killed in the city. The PPP councilor, Muhammad Tariq, 35, sustained bullet wounds when two armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire on him near his apartment situated in Garden West while he was sitting outside with his friends.
March 12, 2011 Seven killed in Karachi as PPP strike observed in Sindh A general strike coupled with violence was observed in Karachi and other parts of Sindh on the call of the ruling Pakistan People‘s Party (PPP) in reaction to the Supreme Court‘s judgment, which declared the appointment of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (Retd) Syed Deedar Hussain Shah null and void.
All commercial and shopping centers in Karachi remained closed even in towns that are not
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011 considered PPP-dominated localities. Transport disappeared from the roads while people preferred to stay at homes amid reports of late night violence that claimed some lives and caused damage to public property. Attendance in government offices was less than normal because of lack of transport. There were reports of firing into the air in some areas, especially in Malir and Orangi Town, forcing shopkeepers to close their shops.
March 13, 2011 A fresh spree of violence Twelve people were killed and three vehicles set on fire in a fresh spree of violence in the city. The dead included an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Tension gripped the City Town area where armed men resorted to aerial firing and had shops forcefully closed in Saddar. Miscreants also torched a Gulistan Coach and a rickshaw at Tower, a truck in Baghdadi and an office of People‘s Amn Committee. In Gulistan-i-Jauhar‘s Pehlwan Goth area, four people, including a minor boy, were killed as two rival political groups clashed. The dead were identified as Musawir, 25, Sikandar, 30, Mohammad Hussain, 11, and Asad, 22.
March 21, 2011 Karachi hit by another wave of killings. The ongoing wave of violence in the city escalated as 15 more people were killed and several vehicles torched. In some areas of the city, gunmen put on a blatant display of firepower, creating panic among the citizens. Activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and other groups came on the streets to protest the killing of their party workers and supporters. Two MQM workers and two supporters of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party were among those killed while three offices of the MQM were attacked with hand grenades. The protesters turned violent at a few places where exchanges of fire between armed men and law-enforcement personnel left one person dead. Three vehicles were set on fire.
March 24, 2011 Fifteen more killed in target killings Fifteen people, an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) among them, were killed in separate incidents in the city. In the first incident, Parkash, 24, was shot dead near the Jamia Cloth Market in Arambagh police limits. The second incident took place in the limits of Peerabad police station. Twenty-year-old Raza was shot at and injured by unidentified gunmen near the Kati Pahari area. He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to multiple bullet injuries. In the third incident, six armed men riding three motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire at a hotel near Metro Cinema injuring 11 people. Police said the injured were rushed to the Qatar Hospital, Abbasi Shaheed and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where Naazuq Hussain, Khushal Khan and Bilal succumbed to their injuries, while the rest were admitted for
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011 treatment. The deceased were the residents of Qasba Colony area and labourers by profession. In the meantime, unidentified armed men, riding motorcycles, attacked Shaheen Kabil Hotel near Qasba Morr in Peerabad police limits. As a result, Abdur Rehman and Jamal Ahmed were died. Police termed the incident as target killing. In yet another incident of target killing in Peerabad area, a mini-bus of route W-30 came under attack by unknown armed men in Mianwali Colony. As a result, a man, in his mid- forties, was killed while Ms Tasleem Bibi and Amin sustained injuries. Later in a police encounter an injured suspect Zahid was arrested and a 9mm pistol was recovered from his possession.
March 25, 2011 Fifteen killed in ongoing targeted violence Fifteen people were killed in the ongoing wave of targeted violence in the city. In a late night development, armed men shot dead a 24-year-old man near Al-Asif Chowk in the limits of Sachal police station. A bullet-riddled body with marks of torture was found in a gunny bag near the Lyari-Thatta bus stand in the limits of Napier police station. A 20-year-old man was killed in Qaddafi Town and an unidentified person was shot dead in Quaidabad.
March 27, 2011 Ansar Burney survives attack Unidentified gunmen opened fire at the office of Ansar Burney Trust International, forcing Burney and his staff to barricade themselves for half an hour before security personnel arrived. Severe firing with automatic weapons began when Ansar Burney, the trust‘s chairman and expert adviser to the UN Human Rights Council, was leaving the office. The firing continued for several minutes. The organization and its staff have been victims of several attacks over the past few years in which many members of the Ansar Burney Trust have been killed and injured. However, no casualty was reported in the latest attack.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
APRIL 2011 April 1, 2011 Muttahida activist shot dead in Ranchhore Line A young activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was gunned down in the Garden area. Police said that 26-year-old Shahjahan was targeted in Ranchhore Line while he was returning home.
Tea shop owner shot dead Owner of a tea shop was killed in an armed attack on his roadside restaurant in the Kharadar area. 45-year-old Gul Nawab Khan was at the cash counter while a few people were having tea when the restaurant in Juna Market was attacked.
Youngster stabbed to death After, a dispute between two groups of youths in Bin Qasim Town, some youngsters became violent that left one of them dead.
April 14, 2011 Eight die in target killings Eight more people, including activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Awami National Party, were killed in different parts of the city.Two young men were wounded critically when they were sprayed with bullets by assailants riding motorcycles in Orangi Townís Sector 10. Police said Raza Idrees, 24, and Sarfaraz Ali, 22, were taken to the Qatar Hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries. Both the victims were said to be Urdu- speaking. Tension gripped the area after the double murder. Earlier in the day, six people were gunned down in various parts of the city. The dead included Hazrat Khan, the general secretary of the ANP‘s Sohrab Goth Ward Office, who was targeted in Lasi Goth. Minutes later, MQM activist Maama Shaboo was shot dead in a street opposite to Ayub Goth in the Sohrab Goth area.Armed men later attacked several people in the Mohajir Chowk area in the Mominabad police limits, leaving four MQM activists injured, three of whom later died. In the New Town, six people resorted to firing on the University Road near Old Sabzi Mandi, during which 45-year-old Saquib Nadeem was killed. A day earlier, four men, including three MQM workers, lost their lives in incidents of target killings. MQM-H Vice-Chairman Akhtar Hussain was among the four people who fell prey to target killings in Karachi.
April 22, 2011 15 dead in Karachi bombing 15 people were killed and more than 30 injured in a bomb blast in a gambling den in a densely-populated area of the city. The blast, which took place between 9:15 and 9:30pm, targeted people at the entrance of the multi-storey Brich Club (popularly known as rummy club) in Ghaas Mandi, near the city`s oldest neighborhoods of Lyari and Kharadar. The blast
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011 caused panic in the area, which also housed residential buildings and several commercial facilities, including wholesale markets.
April 25, 2011 Young man shot dead A young man Qareebullah was ound shot dead near the Northern Bypass in Surjani Town. The police said they were not sure if it was a targeted killing or was motivated by personal enmity.
April 27, 2011 Twin bomb attacks on Navy buses, lady doctor among four killed Four people, including a lady doctor, were killed and 56 others were injured when two buses carrying Pakistan Navy personnel came under bomb attacks. Most of the wounded were naval officers. The Taliban claimed responsibility and vowed more attacks on security forces.Two private cars and nearby houses were also damaged by the blast. Civilian Naveed Ahmed, 20, who was a pillion-rider, was killed by a pellet. Minutes later, another bus carrying Navy personnel was attacked on Northern Bypass in Baldia Town. Navy sailor Umar Farooq and civilian employee Mohammad Sharif were killed and 19 others were wounded. Police said the explosives were planted on the road in the shape of boulders.According to a handout issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (Navy), there were 50 personnel on the bus in the DHA and 35 on the second bus which was targeted in Baldia Town.
April 30, 2011 Senior MQM leader killed Another target killing incident was reported when armed men killed a senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader, Liaquat Qureshi who was also ex-Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA), in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Qureshi had earlier won an MPA seat in Provincial Assembly elections in 1993 and 1997. He was also an ex-member of the MQMís Rabita Committee. Tension enveloped Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-i-Jauhar where armed men resorted to aerial firing and forced shops to close.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
MAY 2011 May 2, 2011 More than dozen vehicles set on fire amid shutdown 13 vehicles were torched in different areas of the city when a complete shutdown was observed on a call given by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for ―peaceful observance of a mourning day‖ over the killing of a senior party member Liaqat Qureshi. Meanwhile, miscreants torched 11 vehicles in the city on the same day. Liaquat Qureshi was shot dead, when his car was intercepted at the Maskan intersection on Abul Hasan Ispahani Road by gunmen riding a motorcycle.
Two suspects killed Two suspects were killed in a shootout with Rangers during a search operation in a Mehmoodabad area. According to an official handout, both the suspects were wanted in several heinous crime cases.
May 3,2011 Fresh wave of Violence paralysis Karachi Karachi paralysed, after scores of arson attacks and incidents of firing left at least four people dead and more than 25 vehicles burnt out following the killing of a senior activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in yet another targeted attacks. The MQM activist, Farooq Baig, was gunned down in Landhi area while he was driving from home to the party‘s headquarters ‗Nine Zero‘.
May 6, 2011 Pesh-imam gunned down A Peshimam was gunned down in Baldia Town. The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) claimed that the victim was its worker. Police said armed men on a motorbike targeted 32-year-old Ata-ur-Rehman after he left Mubarak Masjid in Muhammad Khan Colony of Baldia Town near Khyber Chowk.
May 7, 2011 Grenade attack kills three Three people were killed while 20 others sustained injuries in a hand grenade attack near a local hotel. Soon after the incident, the angry and aggrieved family members of the blast victims launched a violent protest at the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) and damaged equipment at the Emergency Ward and beat the staff. Investigators probing the grenade attack claimed that the attack was carried out at a gambling den.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
Protest over killing of three fishermen A fisherman was gunned down and two senior Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum members were found dead in different parts of Keamari within a few hours. The killings sparked a prolonged protest by fishermen who blocked a road along the Karachi Fish Harbour as well as the Jinnah Bridge and ICI Bridge, causing massive traffic jams on I.I. Chundrigarh Road and other connecting arteries.
May 8, 2011 MQM-H activist shot dead An activist of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi) was found shot dead in Korangi in the early hours. The police added that the body of Rashid Alam Ansari, son of Rais Ansari, was found in Korangi in the bushes in a deserted place.
May 12, 2011 Grenades lobbed into Saudi Consulate Terrorists riding a motorcycle managed to toss two hand grenades into the Saudi Consulate located at the intersection of Khayaban-e-Shamsheer and Khayaban-e-Hafiz in Defence Phase-V. No casualties were reported as a result of the twin explosions.
May 15, 2011 Two young men shot dead Two young men, were found shot dead in the city. Both of them were kidnapped in Lyari, allegedly by one of the gangs operating in the neighborhood, for the victims` suspected role as `police informers‘, officials said. They said one of the victims, Arshad alias Bhooma, in his mid-20s, was busy in his pre- marriage celebrations at his elder sister`s home in the New Kalri area of Lyari with family members and friends when gunmen stormed into the function and picked him up with his friend, Azeem Khan.
Man shot dead A man was shot dead in the Shershah area. Police said that the victim, identified as 36-year- old Naeem Ashraf, was hit by a single bullet a few seconds after he got off a bus near Paracha Chowk .
May 16, 2011 Lyari closed after two killings Lyari and its adjoining areas remained closed following the killing of two men in what law- enforcement agencies claimed as an encounter. Protesters blocked various roads with burning tyres and reports of intermittent firing were received from the old city areas, police said.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
May 24, 2011 Naval airbase attack, 16 hours episode Commandos regained control of the Navy‘s Mehran base from a team of militants after a siege lasting 16 hours – an exceptionally audacious act at a high-security facility that once again threw up embarrassing questions across the world about the military‘s capability to safeguard the country‘s defense assets. The attackers – thought to number six – destroyed two US-supplied P-3C Orion surveillance planes and killed 10 security officers – eight navy personnel and two Rangers. At least four of the attackers were eliminated, and two others may have escaped, said a Pakistan Navy official. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the assault, saying that it was in revenge for the May 2 American raid that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Interior Minister Rahman Malik said six Americans and 11 Chinese aviation engineers were on the base but were escorted out unharmed.
Two gunned down Tension gripped the neighborhood after two persons were gunned down and about six others were wounded in Bhitai Abad, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, in a land dispute between two political groups. Police said, the incident was sparked when activists of the Awami National Party attacked workers of a Sindhi nationalist party who were overseeing the construction of a wall on a plot in the remit of the Sachal police station.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
JUNE 2011 June 2, 2011 Violence claims four lives Four more youngsters were killed in separate incidents in the Lyari area. Although guns fell silent following intense firing and armed clashes between two rival ethnic communities in Lyari, violence returned to the locality within hours and a teenage boy was shot dead. The first incident was reported near the Slaughter House within the remit of the Kalri police station in which 19-year-old Muhammad Adnan was killed. .Later, a 28-year-old man Imran, who was an electrician was killed in Khadda Market. An area trader was also found shot dead in Khadda Market.
June 3, 2011 Rangers man, constable among four shot dead in city violence At least four people, including a Rangers official and a policeman, were killed in violence in the city ,following a shutdown strike called by certain political parties against the worsening power crisis and in support of the striking workers of the Karachi Electric Supply Company. Some nine vehicles were also set on fire in separate arson attacks, officials said. Tension gripped the city after firing incidents and arson attacks, apparently carried out to enforce the strike. In the first such incident, a 60-year-old man Badal Gul Muhammad was killed by armed riders while he was waiting for a bus on University Road. A similar incident was witnessed near the NIPA bus stop, where 32-year-old Syed Ali Shah was killed. The deadliest episode was, however, witnessed near Al-Asif Square on the Superhighway, where a shootout between law-enforcers and suspects claimed the life of Mumtaz Ahmed, a 35-year-old haveldar of the Bhitai Rangers and left two police officers badly wounded. Three passersby were also wounded in crossfire. At the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, a police constable who had sustained bullet injuries in Orangi Town died from wounds next day.
June 4, 2011 21 injured in bomb blast Twenty-one people were injured in an explosion in the limits of the City Town police area. There was, however, no report of any death in the incident. Sources held the extortion mafia, which is active in the area, responsible for the attack.
June 9, 2011 Rangers kill Karachi young man A young man was gunned down by Rangers in an alleged ‗encounter‘ that appeared to be killing from firing at point-blank range in a footage released hours after the incident.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
A spokesman for the Sindh Rangers said the 25-year-old Sarfaraz Shah was killed after an encounter with Rangers personnel deployed outside the Benazir Shaheed Park in the city‘s Boat Basin area after he was ‗caught red-handed‘ while snatching cash and valuables from visitors. Hours after the incident, family members, neighbors and relatives demonstrated outside the Chief Minister‘s House carrying the body of Sarfaraz. They accused the Rangers of faking the encounter and called for registration of an FIR against the officials involved in the firing. Their allegation appeared to be correct when footages aired on news channels showed the unarmed youngster had been shot from a very close range by one of six Rangers personnel gathered around him. The footages showed Sarfaraz, younger brother of a local journalist, pleading for mercy. After the video footages broadcast by the news channels, the Sindh Rangers spokesman said an inquiry had been ordered.
June 14, 2011 Renewed wave of violence takes six lives Fear and violence returned to Orangi Town after a brief lull when six people, including a Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker, were gunned down in separate attacks that also left over a dozen others wounded. Violence began with the ‗targeted killing‘ of a senior MQM activist in Aligarh Bazaar that was followed by gun attacks on pedestrians and passersby. The incident paralysed life across the town as traders pulled down shutters and traffic gradually disappeared from roads amid intermittent gunfire.
June 20, 2011 Ten killed including PPP and MQM activists Ten people, including activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and People‘s Aman Committee, were killed as the recent spate of targeted violence continued in the city. The bodies of five men, stuffed in gunny bags, were found in different parts of the city. Two of them were identified as workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Another activist of the MQM was found dead in the Kharadar area. In a separate case, Mohammed Rafiq was shot dead in the Kalri police limits. Police found three bodies from New Karachi, Lyari and Peerabad.
June 22, 2011 Killing sparks protest A violent protest broke out in the Godhra Camp area of New Karachi, after the killing of a young man of the locality. Police said, charged youths with women and children of the area took to the streets an hour after 34-year-old Abdul Qadir of the area was gunned down early in the morning while he was driving to work.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
June26, 2011 Four men tortured, shot dead in Pak Colony Bullet-riddled and severely-tortured bodies of four young men were found in Pak Colony.The victims were believed to be kidnapped before they were killed, police said. Both Faizan and Barkat were in their late 20s and early 30s, respectively.
June 27, 2011 Bugti’s grandson among six killed in clash at dance party A grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Bugti and five other people were killed and six injured in what police described as an armed clash during a dance party in Defence. Police said the bungalow in DHA Phase VII, Khayaban-i-Rahat, had been rented by one Faisal. Mark Joseph, Kamran Shafi, Dr Iqbal and Kamran Gul died on the spot while Mr Bugti who suffered gunshot wounds in the chest was taken to a private hospital where he died. Another injured man, Ziauddin, died in a hospital. According to a law-enforcement official, the party was well organized with paid entry.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
JULY 2011 July1, 2011 Sindh Government employee killed in gun attack A Sindh government employee was gunned down in a Nazimabad area when he was driving home. According to police, 52-year-old Aqeel Ahmed was intercepted near the Nazimabad traffic intersection by two men on a motorbike.
July 2, 2011 Karachi violence claims three more lives Clashes between two rival groups in Godhra Colony of New Karachi, claiming three more lives and taking the death toll in the two-day gunfight to six, while no concrete action was seen being taken by the city‘s security administration to stop the violence. A semblance of normality that returned to the area after the nightlong gun battle between the groups disappeared in the afternoon with the killing of a Sunni Tehrik activist.
July 5, 2011 Muttahida activist gunned down An activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was gunned down in the Nazimabad area in the early hours. 37-year-old Rafiquddin was returning home after meeting some friends when he was targeted by armed riders outside a car rental shop near Nazimabad No 2.
July 6, 2011 Renewed violence claims 10 lives At least 10 people were killed and 29 others injured in renewed incidents of violence in the city. The incidents took place mostly in Orangi Town, but the tension spilled over to other parts of the city. The day-long violence led to a ban on pillion riding till further orders. Police said the violence was apparently triggered by an attack on Rahim Khan Swati, district information secretary of the ANP, in Qasba area of Orangi Town. He was injured in the attack and taken to a private hospital. Pitched gunbattles continued throughout the day in different parts of Orangi. A bus came under attack in Qasba. Two passengers were killed and three others wounded. A local television channel reporter Zulfiqar Peerzada was also injured during the coverage of the violence. He was taken to a local hospital and was said to be out of danger. Police failed to restore calm, despite getting reinforcement from the Special Protection Group. Armored personal carriers were also sent to the violence-hit area. Investigators said the violence was politically motivated and resurfaced from time to time. They added that miscreants had established trenches in buildings and houses situated in the area.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
July 7, 2011 23 killed on second day of violence Continued targeted violence in the city claimed another 23 lives, including activists of the Awami National Party (ANP). The killings took the total death toll for the two days to 33. Another 12 people were reportedly injured in the acts of violence. In the morning, five bullet- riddled bodies were recovered from a mini-bus in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal area. A firing incident was reported from Block 17, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, in which a car was targeted, killing three people, including a woman named Shaheen Qaimkhani. The two men who died with her were identified as Tauqeer and Ahad. All were reportedly activists of a political group. After this incident, continuous firing was reported from Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Bhittiabad and Met office, where a police van was also targetted.
Earlier, Baldia Town, police found a tortured and bullet-riddled body of a man from the Rasheedabad ground.
July 8, 2011 Two passenger buses under attack Karachi remained in grip of violence and another 34 people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed in armed attacks on buses and houses. City Police Chief Saud Mirza said that 18 people were killed in armed attacks in Qasba Colony and parts of Orangi Town, which remained the worst affected areas. At least 12 people were killed and over 30 injured in attacks on two passenger buses in the areas. The saddest incident was death of a minor girl Laiba, near the Ali Imambargah, who was returning home from tuitions.The girl received a single bullet wound on her head. After the death, the mourning family protested against the law enforcement officials, who had failed to provide security to them as armed terrorists openly operated in the area. They alleged that a rival sect was responsible for the murder. The major incidents occurred in the Banaras area where armed men attacked buses and coaches. First, a bus of route W-55 was attacked. On receipt of information, rescue teams and law enforcers rushed to the place, when another bus of route 1-D was attacked a few yards away from the spot. Cases of random firing were reported from Lyari Town, Hasan square , Gulistan-e-johr all day long, the situation in Qasba Colony, Peerabad, Banaras, Kati Pehari, Pehar Ganj, Lasbella, Orangi town, Hariyana Colony, Ittehad Town, Baldia, and some pockets of Lyari was tense till late night.
Rangers, police given shoot-on-sight orders After three days of violence that claimed the lives of at least 67 people in the metropolis, the Sindh government gave full powers, including shoot-on-sight authority, to the Rangers and police to restore peace in the city. The decision was taken late night at an emergency meeting, which was presided over by Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House. The meeting was convened on the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
July 9, 2011 Violence continued for the fourth consecutive day, 33 killed Shoot-on-sight authority, to the Rangers and police failed to stop killings in city and 33 people lost their lives on the fourth day of violence, raising the death toll to 96. The violence spread to the southern and eastern parts of the city and grenade and rocket attacks were also reported, the Qasba Colony and adjoining areas remained the worst affected. Scattered arson attacks left at least eight shops burnt in Aligarh Colony and a commercial centre in Kharadar met the same fate. A grenade attack in the congested commercial area of Bheempura claimed three lives and rocket attacks on houses in Baldia Town spread panic in the densely-populated neighborhood. City police chief Saud Mirza said: ―Two miscreants were killed in an encounter in Pak Colony area, while in other parts of the city we managed to arrest some 85 people and seized arms, including AK-47 rifles.
July 10, 2011 Six people killed in continued violence Six more people, including a police official, were killed on the fifth consecutive day of violence. Some four shops partially burnt in different areas with scattered firing.
July 14, 2011 Zulfiqar mirza’s remarks ignite violence in city The city descended into violence soon after provincial minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza heaped scorn on Urdu-speaking people and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain. In a fiery speech Dr Mirza confirmed that he had twice met Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi) Chief Afaq Ahmed and said that if Mr Ahmed was a criminal then Mr Hussain was an even bigger criminal. As expected, Dr Mirza‘s diatribe against Mr Hussain and praise for Mr Ahmed incurred the opprobrium of the MQM. As the night wore on, many city localities echoed with the rattle of gunfire and several vehicles were torched in arson attacks.
July 15, 2011 17 killed, Dozens of vehicles, shops torched in Karachi violence; 253 arrested Seventeen people, including law enforcement personnel, were killed during 24 hours of violence in the city. Dozens of shops and vehicles were torched during the strife. The violence erupted in response to a statement given by ex-home minister, Sindh, Zulfiqar Mirza, which created tensions throughout the province. As a result of the violence, the whole of Karachi city came to a standstill.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
July 17, 2011 PPP leader among five killed in continued unrest As unrest prevailed in the city, five more including Ahmer Anwar, a senior PPP leader and PIA labour union president killed. Syed Amir Shah and his friend Khalid Jakhrani were targeted in the Gulistan-i-Jauhar area. As news of the incident spread, activists and leaders of the PPP launched a protest within the hospital premises, while some unidentified men resorted to aerial firing outside the medical facility.
July 20, 2011 Nine killed in fresh Karachi killings Nine people, including two activists of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), were killed in another episode of target killings in the city while some cases of violence were also reported from Nazimabad and Gulbahar areas. Armed men had targeted ASWJ activists, Hafeez and Sajid alias Mulla, in Peetal Gali of Gulbahar area. Tension developed in the area henceforth. During the funeral, unidentified armed men opened indiscriminate firing. Another unidentified group retaliated to the firing at the same place. Later, armed men also targeted an Imambargah situated in Rizvia. In the violence, three people, including Aqeel Ahmed, an ASWJ activist, were injured. They were rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where Aqeel Ahmed succumbed to his injuries. A contingent of the police and Rangers reached the spot and after hours long resistance brought the situation under control. Police said that they had rounded up some 40 suspects from the area, including those belonging to the ASWJ, and also recovered arms from them. Meanwhile, ASWJ activists and supporters launched a protest in the area.
July 23, 2011 Karachi party feud claims 13 lives A fierce gunbattle between two political groups broke out in Malir, Khokhrapar and Landhi areas claiming the lives of 15 people, including activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi, and Awami National Party (ANP). The killings created new tensions in the city and sharply increased the political temperature. In the violent clashes, an office and the house of an activist of a political party were torched while 20 people, including three women, were injured in areas of conflict.
July 24, 2011 Normalcy starts with uneasy calm An uneasy calm prevailed in the strife-hit parts of Malir amid random incidents of firing that left a man dead. While markets remained closed in the morning in the town which had witnessed 10 of the city‘s total 13 killings in the recent violence vehicles started appearing on the roads during the day.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
July 25, 2011 Violence spreads killing eighteen A renewed wave of target killings left at least 18 people dead and several others wounded. Violence spread to other parts of the city with attacks on a restaurant and a sweetmeat shop. There were reports of two rocket attacks in Malir. Commercial areas were shut and residents stayed indoors with several localities reverberating with gunfire.
July 27, 2011 New wave of violence kills six At least six people, including two political activists, were gunned down and some private property was damaged in arson attacks. The fresh killings and subsequent arson attacks mainly in Orangi were carried out at a time when the new police set-up started functioning in the city following the notification of the new police officers of the five districts.
July 31, 2011 Fourteen killed in Karachi Fourteen people, including a police official and a number of political activists, were killed in targeted violence. In the Landhi-89, Sherpao Colony Quaidabad, Nishtar Road and Garden areas armed men resorted to aerial firing forcing traders to close their businesses. Zahid Qadri, an activist of the Sunni Tehrik, was targeted at about 1am in Roozi Goth in Surjani Town. Two brothers, Murtaza and Sadaqat, were gunned down in Pak Colony near Bismillah Hotel. Head Constable (HC) Abdul Raheem was targeted in the Eidgah police limits near Abbasi Chowk in Ranchor Lane. Two tortured and bullet-riddled bodies of men packed in gunny bags were found from the Korangi Industrial Area. A Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist Mohammed Zahid was targeted in Iqbal Market area. Targeted violence had once again erupted in Landhi and Quaidabad area where unidentified men on motorcycles fired randomly in the area killing three activists of the Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) Haqiqi while two young children got injured.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
AUGUST 2011 August 1, 2011 Targeted killings claim nine more lives in Karachi At least nine more people were shot dead and dozens others wounded in violent incidents. Surjani Town became the most-affected locality of the city where armed men held people hostage and killed at least five persons in separate incidents. The Surjani Town police also found two more bodies, which could not be identified till late in the night. Armed men set a vehicle, two shops, a roadside food outlet and nearly half-a- dozen push carts on fire within the remit of the Surjani Town police station. A marriage hall was also set on fire in the area.
August 2, 2011 Twenty-three lives lost as Karachi bleeds again Nearly two dozen people were shot dead, several others wounded and around 90 vehicles and some tea shops set ablaze in gun and arson attacks in different parts of the city. The strife-hit areas of the city witnessed 23 killings on the first day of the month. The Surjani Town remained the worst-affected area with arson attacks on two minibuses, two trucks, several tea shops, eateries and pushcarts besides three killings. In a major arson attack, at least 80 motorbikes were set on fire on the premises of a factory situated in the Sohrab Goth area. The violence forced residents to stay indoors, traders to pull down shutters and transporters not to ply vehicles in the strife-hit areas.
August 3, 2011 Nine killed on the first day of Ramazan On the very first day of the holy month of Ramazan, another nine people, including two activists of the Pakistan Peopleís Party, were killed as target killings continued.
August 7, 2011 Violence claims eleven lives in Karachi Eleven people, including political activists and a banker, were killed as violence flared in the city again. Armed clashes took place between two rival political groups in several parts of Orangi Town, including Sector C-1 Area, Frontier Colony, Qasba Colony, Manghopir Road and Aligarh Colony. Miscreants also fired at a minibus of the X-23 route and a medical store in the town. The clashes left four people dead and 11 others wounded. Police identified three of the dead as 14-year-old Adnan Hussain, 30-year-old Mohammad Yasir Khan and Ejaz. Incidents of target killings and attacks on a mini-bus and a medical store occurred in various parts of the country‘s financial capital even as senior leaders of the Pakistan People‘s Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement engaged in hours-long talks to agree on a working relationship so as to end political bickering and violence.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
August 14, 2011 Seven killed, five vehicles set ablaze as Strike cripples life in Karachi Violence erupted in different localities ahead of a strike called by the Sindhi nationalist parties against the restoration of the 2001 local government system. An armed clash with use of hand-grenades, and arson and gun attacks claimed seven lives and nearly half a dozen vehicles were set ablaze, officials said. The deadliest incident was witnessed in Nazimabad where hand-grenade and armed attacks left three people dead and five wounded.
August 15, 2011 Young man, transvestite shot dead A young man and his transvestite friend were shot dead in Orangi Town. the incident took place in Data Nagri behind the Qatar Hospital where 28-year-old Kamran alias Kamu, son of Ghulam Mohammad, and a transvestite identified as Wajahat alias Mastan were shot dead by unidentified people.
Man gunned down in Garden A man was gunned down apparently in a targeted attack. Deceased Asif worked as a salesman in the Bolton Market and belonged to the Kutchi Memon community.
KESC employee killed A man said to be a KESC employee who had become involved in an altercation with some people over repair of a fault was gunned down in Sector 11-G of New Karachi.
August 17, 2011 Two shot dead Assailants shot dead a transporter Aman ullah and his domestic servant when he was driving home in a Gulshan-i-Iqbal locality
August 18, 2011 Former MNA Karimdad killed: Gang war claims 15 lives in Karachi As a reaction to the murder of the PPP‘s ex-MNA Ahmed Karimdad, of the Pakistan People‘s Party, violence broke out in many adjoining localities of lyari in which rockets and hand grands were used. The incident created tension in Kharadar, Mithadar, Baghdadi and Lyari, where armed men resorted to aerial firing, forcing traders to close their businesses Former MNA was among 15 people killed in Karachi in a fresh bout of a war between ‗criminal gangs‘ operating in Lyari. Violence erupted after six young residents of Lyari were found shot dead in different parts of the city in gunny bags. Five other people were killed in armed attacks in different parts of the city, though; those incidents did not appear to be linked with the Lyari violence.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
August 19, 2011 36 more killed as terror rules Karachi At least 21 bullet-riddled and tortured bodies stuffed in gunny bags were found in different parts of Karachi as more than 30 people were killed in renewed wave of violence that police saw blended with an ‗ethnic colour‘, taking the two-day death toll to nearly 50. Apart from killings many incidents of firing were reported from Landhi, Lyari, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Pak Colony area. In Pak Colony, armed men also fired rockets.
August 20, 2011 Four policemen among 21 killed in violence Four policemen were killed and more than 25 others injured in an ambush on their bus in Korangi.The third day of the fresh wave of violence saw 21 more deaths in the city.The deadliest episode of the day occurred in Korangi‘s Chakra Goth area where armed groups fought a gunbattle after sunset.
August 21, 2011 Death toll rises to 73: Karachi back to normality The city started limping back to normality after the killing of 73 people in the four days of violence as the brutal trend of gunny bags-stuffed bodies following brief kidnappings and torture apparently came to a halt. though; five more people were killed in armed attack, no major incident occurred.
August 22, 2011 Violence claims 10 more lives In the ongoing spate of target violence, ten more people, most of them labourers, were killed. Two houses were also torched in an armed clash between two groups of drug peddlers in Chanesar Goth. Gohar Zaman, a cobbler, was killed in Orangi Town when armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire at him at his shop.
August 23, 2011 At least 12 more lives were lost in targeted violence.
August 28, 2011 Body found The body of a young man stuffed in a gunny bag was found dumped near the Urdu Bazar.The victim was later identified as 28-year-old Ali Mohammad, son of Mohammad Zakaria, a resident of Old Golimar.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
August 30, 2011 Blast kills two in Karachi’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal A suspected suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle in Karachi‘s Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town prematurely detonated his explosives, killing himself and his companion.
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Trail of Tragedy The Chronology of Violence in Karachi, July 2010- August 2011
Graph of Karachi Killings
(Published in Daily Dawn, August 28, 2011)
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